Theatrical and advertising display



April 1, 1947. F.. sHlPMAN THEATRICAL AND ADVERTISING DISPLAY Filed June 25, 1945 @Mv ATTORNEY INVENTOR en/eric .5k/'aman BY M Patented Apr. 1, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEATRICALIAND ADVERTISING DISPLAY Frederic Shipman,k New YorkN. Y. I ApplicationeJune-ZS, 1945; Serial No. 601,464-

(Cl. 2v2-13) 7 Claims.- 1

Myinvention is concerned with theatrical and advertising displays in Which the kaleidoscopic elects of mirrors are involved.

The main purpose` of the invention is.to `produce such effects by sudden changes in the appearance of the displayed objects, which are brought aboutby a displacement-of parts ofthe complete assembly and by the removal of other parts and substitution ofV replacements in their stead. Thus, for example, the stage or the display arena may comprise a multitude of women Who, as if by magic, are suddenly turned into men; or the stage may be filled with young girls who suddenly are turned into old hags, and vice versa; or the stage may be occupied by a mass of people characterized by their unique costume denoting some definite nationality and, suddenly, they are changed into people of a different nationality. One of the purposesof the invention is to interrupt a V-shaped set of mirrors by incorporating in the walls of the V a turn table on which a double mirror is set up, one or the other of these mirrors becoming an integral part of the V, and a different illusion being presented accordingto which one of these mirrors is aligned with the reiiecting surface ofv the members of the V. It is also a purpose of the invention to provide the V with a movable apex, affording not only a good entry onto the triangular stage formed by the V, but aniniiux'of various individualsor objects while removing those'on the stage atthe time. These and other objects of the'invention will become better understood from the specication which follows and from-the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal cross section of a device embodying the invention, taken along the. line I I of Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a front elevational viewof the device some portions of which are in orosssection.

Referring to the gures in detail, I and 2 are two plane sheets set up vertically, in the form of a V, on the triangular-stage dened between them. The inner layersof the sheets I and 2 have reflecting surfaces 3, which may be mirrors, while the outer layers 4 are of any suitable material for backing the reliecting surfaces, such as wood or panelling. The sheets I and 2 form an apex 9, the reference being not merely to the point of contact but to the entire portion separable from the rest of the V. The sheets I and 2 are interrupted intermediate their ends. In the interrupted spaces turn tables 5 and 6 are set up in wells I9 extending below the flooring I8 of the stage, the oor of the turn table 2. being level with the iiooring I8 of thefstage. On thetables 5 and. 6. are erected vertically` and back to back doublemirrorsland 8, which need not necessarily be mirrors, but maybesheets provided with reecting surfaces extendingat least as high as thefv"` The mirrors? and Yare held together'at thetop by U-shaped clamps.A I5 arranged immediately underneath the ceiling, these clamps `I 5 being provided with pivots. I.6fon whichI the mirrors 'i and. 8, together with. the tables` 5 and 6, mayrturn.` rIhe tablesv 5 and i5 areprovided with casters. Illrwhich runen` circular tracks I'I. Thetracks Il, togetherwith` the pivots I5, `denetheyrotarymotion. of the tables about vertical` axes. The` reflecting surface, I and,y the" other reecting` surface; 8 (when the table.` isfturnedj by 18,0 degrees) are flusnwith the i corresponding one. of the reecting surfaces 3'of thesheetsl andi;

The `ap'exyofgtheV isrmovable parallel to the proscenium of the stage by means of Wheels Il running on tracks I il. The means for moving theiapices, of` which there is acontinuous series,

although only` two of them are shown in the drawing, is omitted since itV presents nothing that is not fully known in theart. Theapices are all similar and areconnected in the manner shown so that one apex can replace the other when `moved along the tracks Iii. The means for moving the apices on the tracks lil"` and the means for rotating the tables 5 and 6 `may be manual or mechanical. Also, the means Vmay be separate and distinct, or they may be joint and cooperative.

Thefopen ends .of the sheets I and 2 are concealed by angularly formed sheets I2 and I3, a portion of which extends into the proscenium of the stage.V Entry of variousobjects ontothe stage, isV afforded between the openends of the Sheets' I and 2, and themasking sheets i2 and I3. SuchV objects are not reflected in the mirrors until they pass by the sheets I or` 2 into the space.` covered by the portion of, the;sheet. IZfor I3 extending` into the .prosceniurnV The arrangement as here disclosed permits of very interesting cooperation between the turn tables and the movable apices. For example, if it is desired to create some effect depending on a definite color scheme to which the objects in one of the apices contribute, and objects on I one side of a turn table contribute to the same color scheme, after which it is desired to create another effect depending on another color scheme, objects contributing to this other color scheme are placed in another one of the movingr Y 3 apices,'at the same time changing the objects on the turn table by arranging them on the opposite side of the turn table, and then moving both, the second apex and the table, so that the new effect is created by both in their new positions. As to the entries at l2 and I3, it should be noted that they constitute the only entries when a definite apex is moved into view and the turn tables are in one ofth'eir operative positions. For example, suppose that a chorus or part of an orchestra are brought into view by rotating the turn tables and moving one of the apices onto the stage, and it is desired to introduce additional subjects onto the stage, such as one or two soloists, the chorus, orchestra and soloists forming an ensemble, ythe soloistsA would enter at IZ or i3. In other words, the three elements of the total combination always work in unison with one another, the turn tables, the apices and the masked entries.

.It is to be understood that when the word mirror is used anywhere in the specication or claims, the term is meant to describe any sheet having a reflecting surface.

I claim:

1. A theatrical or advertising display, including a pair of sheets arranged to form a V and defining a triangular stage between them, a reliecting surface on each one of said sheets on one side thereof, at least-one of said sheets having an interruption intermediate its ends, a turn table within said interruption level with said stage, a tier diametrically disposed on said'turn table at a right angle thereto, a reflecting surface on each side of said tier, said turn table 'being in operative position when one or the other of said Ytier reflecting surfaces is in alignment vwith the reflecting surface of the corresponding interrupted sheet, and means of entry onto said .stage other than through said turn tables.

2. A pair of sheets arranged to form a V and defining a triangular stage between them, a re- .iiecting surface on one side of each sheet, and Ameans of entry onto said stage at the apex of `said V, `comprising a train of successive apices .identical with the original apex of the V, said train being movable across said stage into posianales tions wherein the reflecting surfaces of an apex are in alignment with the reflecting surfaces of said sheets.

3. A theatrical vor advertising display according to claim l, wherein the last mentioned means of entry onto the stage comprises a train of suc- -cessive apices identical with the original apex of the V, said train being movable across the stage into positions wherein .the reflecting surfaces of an apex are in alignment with the reiieeting surfaces of the V forming sheets, and objects in successive apices may be coordinated with objectson opposite sides of a turn table.

4. A pair of sheets formed into a V and delining a triangular stage between them, and an angularly formed masking sheet at the open end of each V forming sheet, reflecting surfaces on one side of each V forming sheet, said masking sheets extending partially into the proscenium of said stage and affording means of entry thereonto between the open ends of said V forming sheets and said masking sheets, such entry, however, being subject to reflections in said reflecting surfaces only after the entry making object has reached the extension of said angularly formed sheet into the v prosceniuni.

'5. A theatrical ,or advertising display according to claim 1j 'wherein an angularly formed masking sheet is erected at the open end of each V forming sheet, partly extending into the proscenium of the stage, and the means of entry onto the stage is between said open ends and said angularly formed masking sheet.

, `6. A theatrical or advertising display, including a pair of sheets arranged to form a V and dening a triangular stage between them, a reflecting surface on each one of said sheets having an interruption intermediate its ends, a turn table within said interruption level with said stage, a tier diametrically disposed on said turn table at a right angle thereto, a reiiecting surface on each side of said tier, said turntable being in operative position when one or the other of said tier reflecting suriacesis in alignment with the reflecting surface of the corresponding interrupted V forming sheet, means of entry onto said stage through the apex of the V, said means comprising a train of successive apices identical with the original -apex of the V movable across said stage into positions wherein the reflecting surfaces of an apex are in alignment with the reflecting surfaces of the V forming sheets, and an angularly formed sheet for masking vthe open ends of the V forming sheets partially extending into the proscenium of said stage and affording meansv of entry onto' said stage between said open ends and said masking sheets, the last mentioned means of entry being subject to coordination with the entry through the apex ofthe V and through said turn tables.

7. A ,theatrical or advertising display, including a pair of sheets arranged to form a V and deining a triangular stage between them, a reflecting surface on at least one of said sheets having an interruption intermediate its ends, a turn table within said interruption level with said stage, a tier diametrically disposed on said turn table at a right angle thereto, a reflecting surface on each side of said tier, said turn table being in operativeV position when one or the other of said tier reflecting surfaces is in alignment with the reecting surface of the corresponding interrupted V forming sheet, and an angularly formed sheet for masking the open. 

